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Trapèze Table - Table de Conférence

Trapèze Table - Table de Conférence

Designer: Jean Prouve (French, 1901-1984)
Date: 1955 or 1956
Dimensions:
29 1/4 × 87 1/2 × 28 1/4 in. (74.3 × 222.3 × 71.8 cm)
Medium: Enameled steel and laminated wood
Classification: Furniture
Credit Line: Gift of Sara Jane DeHoff, Ashley Kasperzak and Brennan Kasperzak
Object number: 2018.60
Label Text:Jean Prouvé was among the most well- known French designers and architects of the mid-20th century. Prouvé was a trained metalworker, and it was his deep understanding of material that gave him the foundation for his unique approach. A pioneer of prefabrication, he focused on the essence of materials, challenging traditional divisions between production and design. One of his most emblematic works, the Trapèze Table epitomizes Prouvé’s ability to create innovative furniture that embodies the Modernist philosophy of function through exceptional design.

The Trapèze Table was originally designed for the cafeteria of the Cité Universitaire in Antony, France, and surviving tables from the project are exceedingly rare. Prouvé gave the table an aerodynamic quality by abandoning traditional table legs in favor of two broad-based supports that run along the table’s axis. It gets its name from the distinctive shape of the paired legs, which were constructed from bent sheet steel.

On view